- "Let's go over what we know about Dathomir… Its blue lizard people—the Kwi— appear to be degenerate descendants of the Kwa, an elder species who traveled the universe through Infinity Gates."
- ―Mace Windu, to Saesee Tiin
The Kwi were the degenerated descendants of the saurian Kwa—Dathomir's first sentient inhabitants.
Biology and appearance[]
A Kwi who communicated with Quinlan Vos
The Kwi were large, bipedal lizards with powerful hind legs and tiny forelimbs. They had light blue flesh[1] covered in cobalt-blue scales.[2] The scales located at the top of their skulls had an iridescence that tended to be almost lavender in hue. The face of a Kwi featured two bloodred eyes, a mouth full of black teeth shaped like spades and a long, black tongue. Thanks to their conformation, they could race at incredible speed. To put themselves into a running position, the Kwi would lower their heads and lift their tails out straight behind them to act as a counterbalance.[1] An average member of the Kwi species was three meters tall and four meters long.[2]
Behavior and intelligence[]
- "You mean they're intelligent?"
"Not much more so than most other animals, but smart enough. They care for one another and have their own kind of wisdom." - ―Isolder and Luke Skywalker
Being the degenerate descendants of the sentient Kwa, the Kwi did not have the ability to use an articulated language. However, they could still communicate through various types of noise. For example, a honking noise could be used by a Kwi to call others. When traveling in herds across the plains, individuals running on the perimeter of the group would snort and grunt to issue instructions. If those leading reptiles issued contented grunts, the herd would stay on its current course, but if they snorted two or three times on one side of the group, the herd would veer away.[1] The Kwi could also communicate with certain members of other species, provided that those possessed psychic abilities matching the Kwi's.[2]
History[]
- "They're cutting off the lizards' paws, Zalem's using them to operate the Temple machines. And get this—because their genetic makeup is a variant of their ancestors', she's only having limited success"
- ―Yag Shushn, to Quinlan Vos
In 31 BBY, many Kwi were slaughtered by the Nightsisters during their attempt to access the secrets of the Infinity Gate.[4]
The remaining Kwi disappeared into the deserts and would form tribes including the Blue Desert People[1] and the Blue Mountain People,[5] as well as the Rhoa Kwi[3]. The Kwi migrated every dawn and every dusk.[1]
Around the time of the Battle of Yavin, the Kwi were hunted by the Galactic Empire during the invasion of Dathomir and brought to near extinction.[6]
During the Galactic Civil War, Geonosian bio-engineers at the Geonosian Bio-Lab on Yavin 4 experimented with mutated Kwis.[3] In 8 ABY, Luke Skywalker and Isolder encountered the Blue Desert People, who gave them a ride through the Great Desert of Dathomir before returning to their simple existence in the desert.[1] In 23 ABY, while on board the Off Chance, Tenel Ka and Luke Skywalker saw the Blue Mountain People migrating in the dawn light.[5]
The Witches of Dathomir of the light side apparently respected the Kwi. The offer of a Kwi to let someone ride them was an opportunity the Witches considered to be a rare honor.[5]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars (1998) 24 (First identified as Kwi)
- Star Wars (1998) 25 (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars (1998) 26
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
- The Courtship of Princess Leia (First appearance) (as "Blue Desert People")
- Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy (as "Blue Mountain People")
Sources[]
- Cracken's Threat Dossier (as "Blue Desert People")
- Star Wars Encyclopedia (as "Blue Desert People")
Geonosian Bio Lab on the official Star Wars Galaxies website (content now obsolete; backup link)- Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 139 (DAT1-2, Dathomir)
- The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
- Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience: Prima Official Game Guide
- The New Essential Chronology
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption Expansion: Prima Official Game Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Essential Atlas
- Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 The Courtship of Princess Leia
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Official Star Wars Fact File 139 (DAT1-2, Dathomir)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Star Wars (1998) 24
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy
- ↑ Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds
